Meetings have taken place with a number of potential sponsors. As yet 21st Century Thame are awaiting news. There are meetings booked for next week - if anyone would like to take a lead on sponsorship negotiations then please do contact [email protected].
One new member of the team is on the search for free trees and possibly free compost.
There has been a great discussion with a lady from Towersey who has taken receipt of 200 free trees from I Dig Trees (OVO energy company project). She has lots of experience from her project which she has kindly started passing information on.
The 200 free trees from I Dig Trees are only about 20 inches tall and have bare roots - they look spindly - a bit like weeds. If 21st Century Thame manage to secure any free trees from free tree projects they are likely to be very small and need nurturing in pots and suitable pots are only about 4 inches diameter - so nurturing 10 or so would fit into anyone's garden!
Purchasing trees may be better for planting single trees in residential gardens. A tree of about 4 foot height is about £6 (when bought in bulk).
There is a very short window to get some trees planted before the Spring. Basically they need to have planted any bare root trees by the end of March. Any potted trees will have the best chance of surviving if they are in by the end of March.
After that November/ December would be the ideal planting period.
In order to achieve the 500 trees pledge 21st Century Thame have set a couple of short term aims. 20 trees in February and 100 trees in March.
